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George Maponga in Masvingo
Government and the Zanu-PF party have donated US$400 to each family for burial expenses for the 19 people who died in an accident in Bubi along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway on Monday.  Half of the money was donated by Government, while the other half was sourced by Zanu-PF through Politburo member and Masvingo Senator Cde Dzikamai Mavhaire.

Speaking during the handover of the money, Cde Mavhaire told the crash victims’ relatives that the Zanu-PF Government sympathised with them and also urged drivers to exercise extreme caution on the roads.

He said Cabinet had already resolved that the dualisation of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway be given top priority to reduce accidents on arguably the country’s busiest road.

“We know the pain that the families and relatives of the people who perished are going through at the moment, especially considering that accidents always happen when people are not prepared and the Zanu-PF Government saw it fit to just assist in a small way to help you with the funeral expenses,’’ he said.

The accident occurred after a commuter omnibus travelling from Masvingo to Musina in South Africa, collided with a South African-registered truck heading in the opposite direction.

Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe chairman Mr Nelson Mawema urged police to increase the number of roadblocks along the country’s major highways to curb the high number of accidents that continue to claim innocent lives.

He said it was painful that more precious and innocent lives continued to be lost in road accidents.
“As we are approach Heroes and Defence Forces holidays I want to call upon our police to be very tough on those who break traffic rules because we cannot continue to lose more lives through accidents,” he said.

“Police should stop treating those who break traffic rules with kid’s gloves.
“If a driver fails to produce a licence that person must be punished because some people may actually be driving vehicles when they do not have licences at all, thereby, risking the lives of other people on our roads.”

Mr Mawema said dualisation of highways alone would not end the carnage on Zimbabwe’s roads unless drivers strictly follow traffic rules.
He paid tribute to Government and Zanu-PF for chipping in towards meeting the funeral expenses for victims of the Bubi road accident.